Boat and trunk combined



E. "R. THOMAS. BOAT AND TRUNK COMBINED.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1918. 1,345,416.

Patented July 6,1920. "3 z; 20

V UNITED STATES P T NT O CB- EMMET R. THOMAS, on ST. rAUn Mm'N sorAl BOAT AND TRUNK ooMBInEn.

To all whom it may concern he it known that I, E Mn'r R. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residin atSt. Paul, in the county of'Ramsey and tate of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Boat and 'lrunk Combined, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to collapsible boats, and the object is to provide a combined boat and trunk, which may easily be converted into a trunk during transportation on an automobile or othervehicle, and formed into a boat with seats and supply compartments when arriving at a lakeor other place where aboat is desired for fishingor other purposes. 1n the accompanying drawing, Figure is a top or plan viewofthe combined 'boat and trunk ready for service as a boat but with oars or paddles omitted, as they may be of any suitable form. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the boat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the left hand end section shown as detached and the right hand end section and the handles of the trunk omitted. Fig. 4 may be termed a front elevation of the device converted into a trunk. Fig. 5 is a detail edge view of one of the hooks 25 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3 of the catches 1416 only. Fig. 7 is a partly sectional side view of an car and oar-lock suitable for this improved boat. Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, the boat is tapered from. the middle toward each of its ends, which are preferably truncated. The body of the boat is divided transverselv into four sections, of which the middle sections, 8 and 9, are large enou h to receive the end sections 10 and 11 respectively, as indicated by dotted lines within the middle sections in Fig. 1.

The two middle sections have their adj acent upper edges secured together by hinges 13, and the bottom edges therebelow by resilient hook-shaped catches 14 adapted to engage in eyes 15 of members 16 and thus hold the middle sections rigid in their unfolded or set-up position. The end sections 10 and 11 may be secured to the middle sections by different means. This I have to some extent shown by detachably securing the two sections by differently modified means. Thus I have shown the section 10 as havingv its corner irons 17 formed with broad hooks 18 arranged to be dropped into Specification of Letters Ifatent.

if Patented Ju1y 6, 19 20.

I Application filed December 14, 1918. Se'ria1 No. 266,726.

grooves 19 ofcorner irons 2O fixed'on the 3 adjacent middlesection, and between said corner irons the end section is provided with a double-ribbed vertical iron 21 arranged to slide down into a' double-grooved iron 22 fiXed-o11-tl1e section 8. Inassembling said two sections said interlocking iron strips 'on the endsection are pushed downward as provided 'withtwo hooks 25 see also Fig. 5), which support the section by resting upon the edge of the section 9, and'also tend to hold the sections together by engaging partly downward into the section 9;fa bolt '26 is'then inserted through the adjacent sides ofthe two sections and aunt 27 on the bolt drawn tight; to make a watertight joint the bolt passes through a soft rubber washer 28 which fills between the two sections.

When the end sections are placed within the middle sections they are retained in that positionby the catches 24 and 24*. All the sections may have reinforcing corner irons 2O,v some of which may have interlocking edges as those marked 17 and 20.

To make the boat strong at the middle the hinges 13 are extended partly downward into the boat sections and secured thereto by screws 29. One of the sections is provided with two handles 30 for carrying the device as a boat or more so for carrying it as a trunk. One or both middle sections are also provided with sockets 31 adapted each to receive a stem like 32 of an oar-lock 33 (shown in Fig. 7). In said figure is also shown an oar composed of two sections, 34-35, pivoted together at 36 so that the oar may be either separated or folded at said joint and thus be made short enough to go inside the folded boat or trunk. During the use of such oars each joint of the oar sections is held rigid bypushing over it a snugly fitting sleeve 37 To further describe the operation or handling of the device,,it may be stated that when the device is folded up as in Fig. 4 a hook catch 38, or other suitable locking de-- vice secures together the ed es of the middle sections opposite from their hinged edges.

When the device is thus folded it may be carried at the rear end of an automobile or other light vehicle, by providingthe end of the vehicle with two pegs 'or hooks and unfolded boat or even a boat of the'ordinary foldable type.

' When the device is unfoldedfor service as a boat, the fixed boards lO serve as seats for the occupants, and to said boards are secured by hinges 4'1 lids V42, resting on ledges 43 andhavin finger clearings 44. Thespaces below sai lids and seats serve as storage chambers for food-stuffs, clothes, fishing tackles and other equipment and articles, which are contained therein as in a trunk during the transportation and as in closed boatcompartments during the use of the device as a boat. V a

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible boat partly tapered toward both ends and divided transversely into four hollow sections, the two middle sections being hinged together at the upper v shape when the sections are unfolded; the end sec- 7 tions of the boat being detachably secured to the hinged sections and of a size and permitting them to be placed oneinside '0 each of the hinged sections, and

. means for holding the hinged sections folded with their upper sides together when so desired. V

2. The structure specified in claim '1, said end sections being "each provided with a closure, partof which forms a seat and-the rest ofitahingedlidw" I 3. The structure specified in claim 1, said holding oar locks when so desired;

.4. The structure specified in claim 1, and 1 I means for holding the end sections down into the hinged sections. I

5. The structure specified in or other VBlliGlBfWhQil the boat is folded up as a trunk.

6. The structure specified in clai1n5, and handles on one of the middle sections-of the boat for carrying the device in or unfolded posltiont 7 I In testimony whereof, I affix my s'i nature.

7 31am 1, as. 'means on one of the hinged sections for suspending it from the end of an automobile either/foldedarno AS. 

